Research results on bioethanol now available, says DA
04/25/2009 | 03:42 PM
MANILA, Philippines — Results of the Bureau of Agricultural Research’s (BAR) research and development on bioethanol production and utilization are now available to the public, the Department of Agriculture has said.
The BAR has commissioned feasibility studies on sweet sorghum and cassava as biofuel feedstock and said the comprehensive work covered production of bioethanol from cassava, postharvest activities, processing, marketing, organization and management, and its financial aspect.
According to the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences, which conducted the studies, cassava is a low-maintenance crop and has a very high starch-to-sugar conversion ratio.
"Potentially, feedstock from cassava can be produced at the lowest cost. With high feedstock yield levels, ethanol yield from cassava becomes comparably better than those from sugarcane or sweet sorghum. However, cassava can also be the most expensive among the major feedstock depending on prevailing prices of tubers or derived products," according to the study.
On the other hand, the feasibility study on sweet sorghum showed several advantages of growing the crop for bioethanol.
Sweet sorghum is not yet popular in the country but is considered as one of the most important cereal crops as it is a viable source of human food and animal feed. Compared to sugarcane, sweet sorghum is drought-resistant, tolerates flooding, higher yield, higher sugar content, and cheaper and more reliable source of feedstock.
To test the suitability of sweet sorghum under Philippine conditions, BAR started funding the adaptability trials on the crop in different regions nationwide in 2007. Completed projects in Regions 4-A, 5, and 6 showed that sweet sorghum adapts well to local conditions.
The adaptability trials for the remaining regions are still ongoing and their progress is being monitored by the bureau.
Moreover, the crop’s commercialization projects funded by BAR in Regions 5 and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Isabela State University (ISU), and Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) were successful in producing village-level sweet sorghum food products such as syrup, vinegar, jaggery (a kind of molasses), wine, cookies, flour, coffee and pop sorghum kernels (similar to popcorn).
In a related development, the National Biofuels Board (NBB) has approved the National Biofuels Program Joint Administrative Order that will cut red tape and hasten investments in the biofuels industry, with the creation of a one-stop shop for investors.
The joint administrative order also sets the guidelines governing the biofuels feedstock, biofuels and biofuels blend production, distribution, and sale under RA 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006.
A primary processing center for the crops and the distillery plant with a capacity of 30 million liters of ethanol per year are required for bioethanol production. - GMANews.TV
The BAR has commissioned feasibility studies on sweet sorghum and cassava as biofuel feedstock and said the comprehensive work covered production of bioethanol from cassava, postharvest activities, processing, marketing, organization and management, and its financial aspect.
According to the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences, which conducted the studies, cassava is a low-maintenance crop and has a very high starch-to-sugar conversion ratio.
"Potentially, feedstock from cassava can be produced at the lowest cost. With high feedstock yield levels, ethanol yield from cassava becomes comparably better than those from sugarcane or sweet sorghum. However, cassava can also be the most expensive among the major feedstock depending on prevailing prices of tubers or derived products," according to the study.
On the other hand, the feasibility study on sweet sorghum showed several advantages of growing the crop for bioethanol.
Sweet sorghum is not yet popular in the country but is considered as one of the most important cereal crops as it is a viable source of human food and animal feed. Compared to sugarcane, sweet sorghum is drought-resistant, tolerates flooding, higher yield, higher sugar content, and cheaper and more reliable source of feedstock.
To test the suitability of sweet sorghum under Philippine conditions, BAR started funding the adaptability trials on the crop in different regions nationwide in 2007. Completed projects in Regions 4-A, 5, and 6 showed that sweet sorghum adapts well to local conditions.
The adaptability trials for the remaining regions are still ongoing and their progress is being monitored by the bureau.
Moreover, the crop’s commercialization projects funded by BAR in Regions 5 and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Isabela State University (ISU), and Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) were successful in producing village-level sweet sorghum food products such as syrup, vinegar, jaggery (a kind of molasses), wine, cookies, flour, coffee and pop sorghum kernels (similar to popcorn).
In a related development, the National Biofuels Board (NBB) has approved the National Biofuels Program Joint Administrative Order that will cut red tape and hasten investments in the biofuels industry, with the creation of a one-stop shop for investors.
The joint administrative order also sets the guidelines governing the biofuels feedstock, biofuels and biofuels blend production, distribution, and sale under RA 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006.
A primary processing center for the crops and the distillery plant with a capacity of 30 million liters of ethanol per year are required for bioethanol production. - GMANews.TV
